On a misty November afternoon, Lower Messing Gallery was bustling with students, faculty, and staff as they viewed the Upper School Arts Council’s annual student gallery show. It’s the second year of this student-led exhibit showcasing student-submitted artwork.
Several weeks ago, Arts Council Co-Heads Katherine Rose Ellenhorn ’26, Emerson Pook ’26, and Lainie Zimmer ’26 issued an open call for students to submit their artwork for consideration for the collective exhibit. Student-artists submitted digital files containing details, dimensions, and the media used to create the work. The artworks were then blind-reviewed by the Arts Council, and selections were made based on the quality of the submitted work. Considerations included whether the work was finished and whether its subject matter was appropriate for display in a school context.
Upper School Fine Arts Teacher Asia Johnson-Brimmage ’19 teaches design, drawing, painting, and AP Studio Art, and jumped onto the tail end of the creation of this event. She said, “I used to be co-head of Arts Council when I was a student here, so it’s nice to see it from the other side. I love seeing the students’ reaction to seeing their pieces hung in the gallery. It’s been rewarding for everyone involved.”
Zimmer appreciates the wide variety of pieces. “I like that this event is an open book,” she said. “Anyone can do it, and the art can be about anything. This is a really good way to engage people in more ways than usual. It’s not like a stage performance, which can be intimidating. I feel like a lot of people submitted items already in their portfolio, so it wasn’t too much work on their end, and a great way to engage with the community.”
The final pieces were selected and arranged, with Best in Show ribbons privately awarded for the most outstanding pieces for each medium.
Watching students get excited about showing their art is a highlight for Ellenhorn. “While we privately awarded prizes, it’s not necessarily a competition. We want it to be an art inclusion. I hope this can become something bigger in the next few years, maybe taking over all of Messing Gallery, with more people’s art, and being promoted more in arts classes to drive more submissions. We loved doing this; it’s really beautiful, and it’s all coming together.”
The many guests enjoyed perusing a range of masterpieces, from paintings and drawings to photography and ceramics, while listening to several musical pieces performed by the Upper School Virtuosi.
JK-12 Arts Department Chair Bonnie Carpenter said, “I love seeing all the students mingling, talking, and discussing with their perspective of all that comes from MICDS. It’s a very exciting and lively place. It’s been exciting to have the music playing while you’re looking at the gallery pieces, paintings, sculptures, so many different options that represent what MICDS Arts is.”
Congrats to the following students who had their artwork displayed:
- Layla Gilbert ’26
- Charlie Mills ’26
- Emerson Pook ’26
- Will Fendler ’26
- Zoya Ansari ’27
- Grace Griffin ’27
- Harper Martin ’27
- Devin Garner ’28
- Benjamin Hannah ’28
- Max Jacoby ’28
- Edward Neiman ’28
- Harper Pook ’28
- Tess Thompson ’28
- Caroline Brauer ’29
- Inaya Majeed ’29
- David Mba ’29
- Crystal Su ’29
MICDS families and the general public are invited to explore the student exhibit in Lower Messing Gallery, November 21-22, 6:30-7:30 p.m., and November 23, 1:00-2:00 p.m., before the performances of Jacob Marley’s Christmas Carol in Orthwein Theatre.
Stay tuned for details on our spring student gallery exhibit, showcasing works from our advanced and AP visual arts classes.
Bravo to our creative Upper School artists!